1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a strap fastener that may be utilized to fasten the ends of flexible strap members together, such as the strap members employed to form a strap for carrying a camera, binoculars, or other article.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many different types of snap fasteners that may be utilized to clip and unclip the ends of a strap together. One commercially successful strap fastening system was designed for use to connect the ends of a helmet strap together for helmets used for motorcycle riding, race car driving, football, roller skating, and in other situations in which a user requires a quick disconnect system so as to be able to quickly remove and secure a helmet securely in position. This prior strap fastening system is described in prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,679, issued Dec. 24, 1985, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The helmet strap fastener of U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,679 is quite suitable for fastening the ends of helmet strap members together, since the forces exerted on helmet straps are primarily limited to longitudinal tensile forces acting along the lengths of the strap members. This prior system reliably holds the helmet strap tightly closed when the strap fastener elements are engaged, and allows a quick release of the strap members when the fastener elements are disengaged.
The same strap fastening system has been successfully adapted for fastening the straps of other articles, such as cameras, binoculars, and other objects designed to be carried suspended from a strap loop.
One difficulty that has occurred with conventional strap fasteners of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,559,679 is that it is possible to twist the flat strap fastening elements of the fastener system out of precise mutually coplanar alignment due to the configuration of the mouth of the body member defined at the catch end of the enclosure. That is, if a substantial torsional component of force is exerted on the strap members or on the fastener components of a conventional strap fastening system, the catch member of the fastener can become unintentionally detached from the fork member of that fastening system. When this occurs the fastener members will suddenly and unexpectedly separate. A camera, binoculars, or other valuable article suspended from the strap will then abruptly fall. Many cameras and binoculars today are quite expensive and can be severely damaged should the fastener members at the ends of the strap holding them suddenly separate.